Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Esben and the Witch: "Violet Cries," Indie Rock from Brighton

Formed in Brighton, England in 2008, Esben and the Witch have a trio configuraton but it isn't meant to be a "power" sort of threesome. There's Rachel Davies on bass, and on vocals that remind me a little of the Cure's lead singer, only a female version and a little more raw; Daniel Copeman, guitar and electronics; and Thomas Fisher, guitar and keys. In other words no drummer--but there are electronically produced drums and percussion, perhaps activated by the keyboard sound module?

Anyway their 2011 album Violet Cries (Matador) has a sound that does not put them in pop territory. Instead they dwell in a zone that allows ambitious sonar explorations of their physical and internal worlds.

They do not entirely fit in with some prepackaged notion as to where a band of this sort is supposed to fit in. To listen to Violet Cries is to listen to something on its own terms. There are large electronic caverns to dwell in, walls of sound that sometimes rapidly vanish like a mirage, to be replaced by another sound universe. The electronic, echo-laden ambiance and contrasting unfolding blocks of guitar-bass-synth-drums make for interesting listening. The vocals may take some getting used to.

They are doing something stylistically advanced. What that "is" is, is not your standard fare. (Hmm...three "is"'s in a row?) For this reason I would heartily recommend it for those looking for something that is not something else!

Grego's First Blog: 1,001 Knights, Reviews of Music CDs for Guitar, Bass and Otherwise

About This Blog

Grego Applegate Edwards writes this column.

The Gapplegate Guitar and Bass Blog has grown over several years to contain more than 1,000 reviews of CDs by guitarists, bassists, vocalists and otherwise. Each musician is a hero in my mind, a Knight in Shining Armor, devoting a lifetime to music that you can enjoy and treasure. Here are my 1,000 knights, and my many 1,000 nights spent listening so I could review this music for you. If you care about what you hear and want to know more about what is out there, you are the person I have in mind as I write these postings. If music isn't an important part of your life this blog is probably not for you.

Various musical genres get attention on these pages: jazz and rock with guitarists and/or bassists playing a prominent role, classical music for the guitar, world music, blues, roots, electric music, vocalists.

I cover other jazz and improvisation on the Gapplegate Music Review blog (see link on this page) and modern classical and avant garde concert music on the new blogsite Classical-Modern Music Review (see link).

About Me

I am a life-long writer, musician, composer and editor. I wrote for Cadence for many years, a periodical covering jazz and improv music. My combined Blogspot blogs (as listed in the links) now cover well over 3,000 recordings in review. It's been a labor of love. The music is chosen because I like it, for the most part, so you won't find a great deal of nastiness here. I have no affiliations and gain nothing from liking what I do, so that makes me somewhat impartial. I do happen to like a set of certain musics done well, so it's not everything released that gets coverage on these blogs. I have thirteen volumes of compositions available on amazon.com. Just type in "Grego Applegate Edwards" to find them. (But one is under "Gregory Applegate Edwards.") I went to music and higher education schools and got degrees. It changed my life and gave me the ability to think and write better. I've studied with master musicians, too. The benefits I gained from them are invaluable. I appreciate my readers. You are why I write these reviews. I hope the joy of music enriches your life like it does mine. Thank you. And thank you to all the artists that make it possible.